Elected therapeutic



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. MONRATH & W. M. GIBBONS.

ELEOTRO THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCE.

Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

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4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. MONRATH & W. M. GIBBONS. BLEOTRO THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCE.

No. 434,024. Patented Aug. 12, 1890; F1 Fgfi Fig- 1M7 W144 4144 14 HI IHI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.GUSTAV MONRATI-I AND \VILLIAM M. GIBBONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

. TO SAID GIB- ELECTRO-THERAjPEUTIC' APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,024, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed December 3, 1887. Serial No. 256,922. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GUSTAV MONEATH, a Danish subject, residing atChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and WIL} LIAM M.GIBBONS, a citizen of the United States, also residing at said city, inthe county and State aforesaid, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electro- Therapeutical Appliances, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description,'reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates generally to electromedical apparatus wherein aconstant current of electricity is employed in the treatment of muscularand nervous diseases or other physiological irregularities, but moreparticularly to the construction and operative arrangement of apparatusemployed for such purposes, whereby improved and highlyefficacious meansare provided for therapeutically employing the electrical current. Tothis end the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth,and pointed out in the appended claims. I

The prominent features of the invention are fully shown in theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the many forms ofconstruction and arrangement of which it is capable, it beingpreliminarily noted that it is our purpose to employ our invention inthe form of a mattress, as a pillow, chair, or the like, as abed-covering, articles of wearing-apparel, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewsubstantially illustrating the manner in which our invention would bewith the mattress.

of one end of the battery-box, showing the contact-points andswitch-lever. Fig. 5 is an inside elevation of the said end of thebattery-box, showing the said contact-points, the manner of connectingthe said wires therewith, and the wire-connection between theswitch-lever and the contact through which the circuit is completedbetween the battery end of the battery-box opposite to the end thereofshown in Fig. 3. Fig.8 is aview, mainly diagrammatic, of the end of thebattery-box opposite to the end shown in Figs. 4 and 5, showing thecontact-points, the manner of connecting the Wires from the cells of thebattery therewith, the switch-lever, and contact, through which thecircuit is completed between said lever and the conductors of themattress, the said lever being shown in operative position. Fig. 9 is adiagrammatic view of the multiple-cell battery, which We desirablyemploy in conjunction with the mattress. Figs. 10 and 11 are side andend views, respectively, intended to further illustrate the manner ofrunning the wires from the battery to the contact-points located at theend of the battery-box shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and the circuit, asdescribed, between said contact-points through the switch-lever with thecontact through which electrical connection is made with the conductorsof the mattress.

Referring by letter to the several figures of the drawings, in whichlike letters indicate like parts, A indicates the frame of a mattressconstructed on the ordinary spring-mattress principle, the upper portionB, formed mainly of .wool, cotton, or other suitable material, beingcovered with a textile fabric 0,

equivalent chemical voltaic factor.

tion between the electrodes is made in any said conductors b, and beingprovided with a suitable switch is operative to increase or decrease, asmaybe desired, the sum of the cu'rrent which flows therefrom throughsaid conductors. The said battery is desirably composed, as shown, oftwen t y-seven cells, but in I practice the same may be increased ordecreased in number, as may be deemed most advantageous. Each cell iscomposed of a sheet of zinc (Z and a plate of carbon (1, separated 1 bya glass or wood plate 61 which snugly refor treatment being placed uponthe mattress cesses in the side plates or walls 6 of the battery-box,which for convenience and economy of construction is preferably composedof wood. The space between each carbon and zinc plate is filled withwood saw-dust (1 or other suitable saturable material suitable for therequired purpose, which is saturated with a solution of sal ammoniac orother Connecwell-known operative manner. Each end of the saidbattery-box is provided with nine contact-points, each of which hasconnection through a wire (1 with three elements of the battery. wiseprovided with a switch-lever F, which has suitable electrical connectionwith the conductors b of the mattress through contacts ff and aconductor E. The relative arrangement of the said contact-points and theswitch-lever is such with reference to the elements of the battery andthe conductors Z) of the mattress that as contact is made between saidlever and said points in a direction from zero toward the increasingnumbers which indicate said contact-points, a greater number of elementsof the battery are thrown into circuit, amplifying the nected with thenegative-poles, of respective series of cells, the conductors I) beingalter- Each end of the said box is likenately connected with theconductors F, which connect, respectively, with said contact-points.

The main purpose which we have in view in providing contact-points andswitching devices at each end of the battery-box is to enable theperfect control of the current operatively from either side of themattress.

The contact f, which connects with the conductor F, is arranged andadapted to subserve two purposes-to wit, forming a swinging latch (seeFig. 1) which secures the battery-box in position within themattressframe, also enabling its removal, and a contact which completesthe circuit between the battery and the conductors of the mattress.

. The operation of the apparatus thus described is as follows: Thecurrent being regulated by means of either one of the saidcontact-points and the switch-lever, passes from the battery to theconductors b, traversing the same, as indicated by the arrows shown inFig. (5, to the source of energy. A subject and making contact withcertain of the conductors b, electrically connected with the oppositepoles of the battery, the current is established through the body of thesubject or through a member thereof, as the case may be. \Vhile it isgenerally desirable that actual contact should be made with the saidconductors b, such contact is not always essential to efficacioustreatment.

While we have adopted, as shown in the accompanying illustrations, avery simple and desirable form of battery for employment in conjunctionwith the form of mattress herewith shown, which form of battery weshould also preferably employ with our appliance when in the form of apillow, chair, or the like, it is obvious that other forms ofcurrentsupply may be employed effectively without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention. e therefore do not limit ourselves tothe details of construction and arrangement shown and described, exceptas is set forth in the appended claims; but all appliances embracing theprinciples embodied in the construction and operative arrangement hereinshown and described are deemed to be within the intent and scope of ourinvention.

that we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture for electro-therapentical purposes, afabric composed of cotton, silk, or other material suitable fornon-conducting purposes, provided with conductors of electricity 6,interwoven or otherwise suitably arranged in connection therewith, thesaid conductors being alternately connected with conductors adapted tobe connected, respectively, with the opposite poles of a battery,substantially as described.

2. The combination,witha fabric composed in the main of non-conductingmaterial provided with conductors b, interwoven or otherpose ofamplifying the strength of cnrrents 1o wise operatively arranged inconjunction admitted to said conductors, snbstantlally as therewith, theconductors F, to which the and for the purpose set forth.

conductors b are alternately connected, of a GUSTAV MONRATH multiplebattery, the cells of which are ar- TILT IAM M GIBBONS ranged, asdescribed, in series, which series are connected with contact-pointsadapted to Witnesses:

be switched into connection with said con- GEO. WV. LEVIN, dnctors b bya suitable switch for the pur- JOHN MEYER.

